This story has been updated to include meeting time.

Higley USD will keep its mask policy in place at least until the governing board has a chance to review it, district officials said.

That review did not come at the board’s regularly scheduled meeting April 21. Instead, the board has added a special meeting to its calendar at 5 p.m. April 26 to discuss the topic.

The district emailed families to notify them that the restriction would stay in place after Gov. Doug Ducey issued an executive order April 19 lifting his previous order that all schools should have mask policies.

The district email said the topic would not be on the board’s April 21 agenda because of the short notice of the order but acknowledged the need to address it.

“... Because this is such an important topic, we will be adding a meeting to evaluate this thoroughly and determine the best option for our community,” the unsigned email stated.

The email noted that while Ducey’s order lifted the requirement for school districts to have a mask policy, it does not prohibit schools and districts from creating or maintaining individual policies or guidelines regarding face coverings.